I do not own Soul Eater or any of the characters mentioned in this story (except for Lucy)

Soul Eater sat in his new apartment in Los Angeles, CA. It had been four whole years since he had become a death scythe and graduated from the DWMA. After that happened, he moved out of Death City and into a New York City shithole. A week or so ago he had been playing on a street corner, as he always did, when Black Star and Tsubaki happened to walk past him. Apparently they had created a successful record label using what was left of the Star Clan's trust fund. Of course they offered him a record deal with them. Now here he was in LA, getting ready to start recording his first album.

After a few hours of letting it all sink in, Soul decided he needed a drink. He grabbed his wallet and keys, started his bike, and drove off to find a cheap place to find one.

After graduation Maka immediately went to visit her mom for a while. They spent an amazing 6 talking about all the crazy things that happened while they were apart. When she returned, she found out all her friends, including Soul, had moved away, and Blaire was now her new step-mom. Or maybe it's step-cat? She didn't know. Maka took this as a sign that she should leave Death City as well. So she shoved all the things she owned in a used car her dad bought her and drove away from the only place she had ever known.

Not really knowing where to go, Maka spent a couple months travelling to different cities in the United States. She spent the longest time in Boulder, Colorado because she loved the feel of the unpolluted country air in her lungs. She ended up finding a roommate to share an apartment with. Her name was Lucy and she had run away from an abusive home a couple years before. She was nice enough, but a heavy user of heroin and cocaine. After about a year and a half, Maka took the shitty mattress Lucy had been using for a bed and left in the early morning without a word. She knew she wouldn't mind because Maka hadn't actually seen her in a week or so anyways.

So the retired meister drove all around the West half of the continent, sleeping on the mattress in the trunk of her car and using campground showers to keep herself clean enough.

At the moment, Maka found herself in the busy city of Los Angeles, camping out in a hotel parking lot. Feeling like she needed to relax and let loose a little, Maka pulled on a crimson red cocktail dress and some black heels. Then she walked into the hotel to make use of the bar.

After about 2-3 hours Soul came to the West Hollywood Hotel, a cool-looking joint that looked like it could've been built in the 20s. He parked his bike and walked inside.

Well what do you know, it was built in 1924. I was right, he thought as he read the bronze plaque in the lobby.

Soul walked over to the bar and, according to the sign, you didn't need to rent a room in order to drink. It looked pretty empty save for a few middle-aged men and a single blonde chick with legs like you wouldn't believe and a tattoo on her left shoulder.

He sat down on a stool and ordered a beer. Now that he was closer he could see more of the woman's ink. It was of an open book with an exquisite red rose resting on its pages. It was a cool tattoo but he couldn't help but think about his bookworm: Maka. He hadn't spoken to her since he left Death City after graduation. Is she still with her mom? Or back in Death City? He could honestly picture her, still at the DWMA, helping teach the next generation of weapons and meisters.

I miss her more than I'd like to admit, he thought to himself. Maybe I should try and get in touch with her.

After a few more beers, Soul pulled out his new iPhone, courtesy of Black Star and his money. He pulled up his contacts and found them to be empty. He'd forgotten that he still hadn't transferred the stuff from his previous one. Feeling a little defeated, Soul slipped the useless device back into his pocket and took another swig.

Suddenly, he felt someone's eyes on him. He looked to his right and saw the blonde staring at him with wide green eyes. He gave her a head nod and said, "Hey."

"H-Hi."

"You alright Blondie? You like you've seen a ghost."

"I-uh. No, I'm fine. Sorry, I didn't mean to stare at you like creeper." She looked a little disappointed.

"Like what you see?" He retorted.

"You really don't recognize me, do you?" Soul looked her over a few times; once again noting the tattoo.

"Maka?"

She smiled halfheartedly.

"Oh my god!" He stood and hugged her. "You look so different! And you have a tattoo?"

She looked down at her feet. He could tell she was feeling self-conscious.

"I-in a good way. You look good, Maka. I just-I'm surprised is all. What're you doing here?"

"I'm just passing through. I've been travelling the country for a while now."

"With your mom?" He asked.

"Nope. I'm all by my lonesome. After I got back from visiting Mom and everyone was gone, I had to get out of there too. Did you know that I have a new step-mom?"

"Really?" Soul was surprised to hear that Spirit had remarried. He just didn't seem like the type of guy who could settle down like that.

Maka looked down and her half-empty glass. "Yeah…who knew my dad and Blaire were even that close?"

Soul choked on his his beer a little bit. "What? Wait is it even legal to marry a cat?"

"I guess it is."

"I wonder what would happen if they ever had a kid. Would it be human or a cat? A weapon or a witch?"

She smiled a little. Soul always knew how to make any situation turn from embarrassing to funny with just one comment. She always loved him for that.

"So…what brings you to the City of Angels, Soul?"

"Apparently Blackstar is some music producer now. He and Tsubaki ran into me in New York a couple weeks ago and offered me a record deal. So I packed up all I had and moved here."

"Wow! Really?"

They talked for a long time at the bar that night, catching up and making fun of the fact that Spirit had married a feline.

"I meant to ask you earlier," Soul said, still laughing from the story of Maka's roommate in Colorado. "What's with the tattoo? It's awesome and everything but I never imagined you'd even think about getting one."

"Well…that's an embarrassing story that includes my 21st birthday and vodka shots with Tsubaki."

"Oh really? To be honest, I never imagined you drinking at all. I figured you'd hate it."

"I do, but it gives me a nice feeling that I haven't been able to find anywhere else."

"Have you tried sex?"

I should probably say that at this point, they were both pretty drunk.

Maka looked like a deer in the headlights. Soul couldn't help but laugh at her reaction.

"I guess that means no."

"Yeah, well I just haven't found someone that I really clicked with, you know?"

Soul chucked a little. "That sounds really cheesy, Bookworm."

"You know I'd never sleep with just anyone, Soul. I'm not my dad." She snapped back.

He ran his hands through his hair and Maka couldn't help but notice that it was much shorter now. She wanted nothing more than to run her hands through it.

"I'm not just anyone."

Soul woke up the next morning in the back of a car he had never seen before, on a suspicious-looking mattress. He tried rolling over only to find that there was something blocking him. He looked down and saw a sleeping woman, completely naked he should add. He felt himself start to panic. Then she readjusted herself and was now laying on his chest to where he could see her face.

Soul had seen Maka so many times, in different states, but all he could think this time was:

She has never looked so beautiful.